Thornwood Commons Pond Dam dam
Thornwood Commons Pond Dam
Thornwood Commons Pond Dam, located in Dover, New Hampshire, is a privately owned earth dam that serves multiple purposes including fire protection and as a stock or small fish pond. Built in 1961, this dam has a height of 16 feet and a length of 420 feet, with a storage capacity of 30 acre-feet. The dam regulates Varney Brook and has a drainage area of 0.24 square miles.
This dam is state-regulated by the NHDES Dam Bureau, with regular inspections conducted to ensure its safety. The hazard potential is deemed significant, but the condition assessment as of October 2017 was satisfactory. Despite its moderate risk level, the dam has not experienced any significant modifications or emergency preparedness measures, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and risk management for water resources in the area.
With a diverse range of stakeholders involved in the oversight and maintenance of Thornwood Commons Pond Dam, including state agencies and private owners, the dam plays a crucial role in both water resource management and ecological preservation. As climate change continues to impact water resources, it is essential to prioritize the safety and sustainability of dams like Thornwood Commons Pond Dam to ensure the resilience of local ecosystems and communities in the face of changing environmental conditions.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Thornwood Commons Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Oyster River Near Durham | 11 cfs | → |
| Isinglass R At Rochester Neck Rd | 53 cfs | → |
| Lamprey River Near Newmarket | 119 cfs | → |
| Cocheco River Near Rochester | 97 cfs | → |
| Winnicut River At Greenland | 17 cfs | → |
| Exeter River At Haigh Road | 52 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thornwood Commons Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Dover Eliot Road South Berwick
- Oyster River Boat Launch
- Piscataqua River Boat Launch
- Salmon Falls River Boat Launch
- Willand Pond Boat Launch
- Great Bay Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Old Stage Campground
- Remote Campsite
- Saddleback Campground
- Tidewater Campground
- Salisbury State Park Reservation
- Windham Town Forest Tent Platforms
Paddle runs
Track Thornwood Commons Pond Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Thornwood Commons Pond Dam
Where does the data for Thornwood Commons Pond Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Significant hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Thornwood Commons Pond Dam.